1. Field Of The Invention:
The present invention relates to a bar-type constructional element of high flexural strength containing at least one component for absorbing forces or bending moments.
2. Description of The Prior Art:
In the construction of mechanical designs, particularly in the fields of mechanical engineering and toolmaking, it is often necessary to use constructional elements of high flexural strength, i.e. riqid elements, which exhibit minimum flexure even when long horizontal extensions and, in particular, long, free, unsupported lengths are involved. Pipes, struts and trelliswork are generally regarded as rigid constructional elements. Such conventional rigid constructional elements are, however, unsuitable for many applications since they are too heavy or are too expensive to manufacture. Glassor carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics are used in the manufacture of light, rigid constructional elements although the former also do not produce satisfactory results in every case because of their occasionally disadvantageous temperature coefficients and their residual flexibility which is an inherent material property. On the other hand, such fibre-reinforced plastics are used precisely in the manufacture of components in which flexibility is desired, e.g. skis and glider wings. Other rigid constructional elements are prestressed components which are generally in the form of solid structures, for example made of concrete, which are prestressed by means of steel cables or rods. They are not generally suitable for mechanical engineering and toolmaking and are principally used in building and bridge construction. Ceramics are intrinsically suitable for light, rigid components of great strength, although ceramic components have the disadvantage that they fracture relatively easily with excessive loading and are also susceptible to impact loads. They therefore have only limited applicability in mechanical engineering and toolmaking.